WTAMU seeks small-business partners for fourth Buff Business Summit

West Texas A&M University is accepting applications from area small businesses to participate in the fourth annual Buff Business Summit and Challenge. The deadline is Aug. 31, and sessions are set for Oct. 2, Oct. 7 and Nov. 6.

The university says the event is a program of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business for high school students. About 600 students from Amarillo ISD and Canyon ISD are expected to attend the three-day program in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.

WTAMU said 12 Texas Panhandle businesses will be selected. Applications are available at bit.ly/buffbusinesspartner.

The university said students will spend morning sessions with faculty on business learning activities and afternoon sessions on real-world challenges presented by business partners. Teams then will pitch their solutions to a judging panel that includes the business owner, an Engler College alumnus, an Engler College faculty member and staff from the WT Enterprise Center and America's Small Business Development Center at WT.

WT Enterprise Center executive director Gina Woodward said participating businesses have implemented student ideas and some have hired students from past teams.

Engler College dean Dr. Amjad Abdullat said the summit is one of the college's partnerships with local school districts and helps students understand business opportunities while visiting campus.

Students on the winning team each receive $500 scholarships, and WT said a total of $48,000 in scholarships has been presented since 2024.

WTAMU said the program supports undergraduate academic excellence by recruiting students to attend the university. The school said the upcoming sessions will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 2, Oct. 7 and Nov. 6.

Sources

• WTAMU news article

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